


Honey

by fawatson



Category: Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-24
Updated: 2009-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-05 03:38:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/37396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fawatson/pseuds/fawatson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Idgie and Ruth take everyone on a picnic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Honey

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vivien](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vivien/gifts).



> **Request:** Idgie Threadgoode/Ruth Jamison/Sipsy/Virginia Threadgoode aka Ninny. You may see a theme here. I love stories about strong women characters. Fried Green Tomatoes (and if you picked the book as source, I'd be just as happy, and maybe even happier!) is chock full of strong female characters. I'd love something set in the not-modern times the movie/book took place in. Flashbacks are fabulous. Idgie/Ruth is canon and beautiful.  
> **Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters and make no profit from them.

They didn't have many free moments once the cafe really took off. Being a success made them all too busy. But they had been determined. The next Sunday afternoon - after the Fourth of July celebrations (they couldn't do it then because Ruth had allowed herself to be persuaded into helping with the church float in the parade), they would go down by the river together. Ruth and Idgie and Buddy, but also Sipsey and Big George and Onzell; they had to keep that a bit quiet because folks would be scandalised at the black folks and the white folks socialising quite like that. Oh, black and white all joined in together for some celebrations, but even so there was still a divide. For Idgie and Ruth, though, they were all just folks celebrating together.

It was a wonderful afternoon. Buddy ran round in the clearing kicking a football (did I tell you he became the high school big football star later on?). Idgy and Big George drank beer and told jokes, and the most outrageous _lies_ you ever did hear, until Ruth couldn't sit up straight from laughing. Sipsey – she just smiled and smiled.

But the crowning glory came when Sipsey got out the food. You see, she'd brought fried chicken, but forgot the honey for dipping. Everything else was there: fresh-made coleslaw and potato salad – even a chocolate cake for desert. But no honey. And fried chicken just don't taste the same without.

Idgie said not to worry, and disappeared into the woods. One moment she was there and the next she was gone. Ruth told Buddy he didn't want to miss this and led him after Idgie. They went down a path through the woods till they came out to a wide meadow. Ruth told Buddy to stand real quite-like while they watched. Idgie climbed up the first two branches of that tree, reached into it, and brought out a large piece of honeycomb. It only took her a few moments before she was back down and crossed the meadow and handed it to Ruth. Buddy's eyes were as big as saucers; he'd never seen bee-charming before.

Anyway, they went back to the river after that, and had the rest of their picnic, and watched while Big George tried to teach Buddy how to fish. Then, when it got too hot, even under the trees, they had a little nap. They packed up as the sun was going down. Minister gave them all a hard look when they got back into town, as they'd missed service that day. But he couldn't really say nothing much as Ruth was carrying her bible. She'd packed it in the bottom of her basket and got it out just as they came into town, so's she'd have it ready.

* * * *

"Oh, Ninny, " exclaimed Evelyn, "that is so wonderful. That must have been the same meadow where Idgie took Ruth years before."

"The very same. Ruth told me _all _about it."

"I do love to hear about Idgie and Ruth and the whole crowd."

"Well, you know you're welcome to come back any time, now," said Ninny, smiling.

"Real soon," promised Evelyn.


End file.
